From Transport Hub to Shared Space: Walkability and Pedestrian Color Experiences in the Transformation of a Public Square

abstract

English

This article considers how the physical aspects of the urban built environment, specifically façade colors, impact pedestrian movement and route choices when navigating city squares, behaviors which presumably correlate with how pedestrians perceive the attractiveness of these spaces. Palacký Square is situated 291 m above sea level in the historic Czech town of Kostelec nad Orlicí, whose origins date back to the 13th century. The town of 6,117 inhabitants is located in the southeastern part of the Hradec Králové Region, approximately 29 km from the regional capital, Hradec Králové. The square is an elongated rectangle, 40 (60) m × 150 m and currently has an asphalt surface suitable for motor vehicle traffic. Three historical monuments occupy its central axis: a Late Baroque Marian column from 1707, a neo-Gothic Holy Trinity column from 1874, and a classicizing fountain from 1890. Additionally, the square is bordered by historical townhouses, the Baroque and Empire-style Old Town Hall from 1850 (which houses the F. I. Tůmy Elementary Arts School), and the neo-Renaissance New Town Hall from 1887, where the Town Office is located. As part of a transport hub, the square serves primarily as a parking area for 100 cars, alongside a bus station with five stops. At present, transport suppresses ancillary functions, limiting the square's potential. Responses from an initial survey indicated that residents use the square for parking but would welcome a reduction in the number of parking spaces and additional greenery, which dovetails with the intentions of the municipality to create a shared space. Our team was tasked with exploiting the potential of this space. To this end, we recommended options for reducing congestion by diverting traffic away from the square and explored varying proportions of green infrastructure and pavement colors. The resulting 4 proposals will be presented to the public along with questionnaires to provide insight into public response to each design, especially in regard to color variations in the surrounding façades. Subsequently, the town can use this valuable feedback to create a competition brief for the renovation of the square. Using the methodology of Ensari and Akbay (2018), we plan to document the colors of façades facing the square with NCS Colourpin, thereby creating a color map with the help of NCS analysis. Asking respondents directly and indirectly how façade colors relate to their preferred pedestrian routes when navigating the square and discovering which façades they find most appealing will enhance our understanding of public preferences while the data we acquire will form the basis for an analysis of the relationship between preferred design, pedestrian movement, and façade colors around the square. We expect that the results of our research will contribute to increased civic engagement in determining the final appearance of the square and that the results themselves will be incorporated into the competition brief, including specifications for façade color and greenery arrangement. The resulting shared space will become a vibrant, colorful place for local residents and visitors to enjoy, seamlessly connecting public spaces and historical landmarks.

Color and Consumer Behavior; Color in Design and Visual Communication

PALACKÝ, J.; DOKOUPILOVÁ PAZDERKOVÁ, K.; HRUBANOVÁ, D.

AIC (International Colour Association) & Associação ProCor do Brasil

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